Support for slat crates while being repaired



Patented July 13, 1937 PATENT fil 'l ltlh SUPPORT FOR SLAT CRATES WHILE BEING REPAIR/ED Earle C. Brown, Canastota, N. Y.

Application March 14, 1935, Serial No. 11,170 1 Claim. (01. 144-2ss) This invention has for its object a particularly simple and eff cient work holder, or support, for crates, while the same are being repaired, the walls of which crates arespac-ed slats.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions here inaiter set forth and claimed.

In describing thi invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan View of this work holder, different positions of the crates operated on being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine looking upwardly in Figure l, the crates thereon being shown in section.

Figure 3 is an elevation taken at a right angle to that shown in Figure 2.

This work holder is particularly adapted for holding crates, such as are used at markets and truck farms for vegetables etc, which crates consist or" corner posts usually triangular in cross section, horizontally extending slats nailed to the corner posts and forming the side walls of the crate, and slats forming the bottom of the crate, two of the bottom slats being nailed to the ends of the corner posts, and the intermediate bottom slats being nailed to the lowermost slats of diametrically opposite side walls. The crates are usually slightly oblong in form, and the bottom slats. are nailed at their ends to the lowermost slats, of shorter, or end walls of the crate.

These crates are made up of wood, and are subject to rough handling. The nails rust and become loose. In repairing them, by driving in new nails and redriving the old nails, there is no firm surface to drive against, and splitting and breaking of the slats usually results. The crates, owing to the rough usage to which they are subjected, require frequent repairing.

The object of this invention is an apparatus, or work holder, on which the crate can be readily placed in different positions and nails driven and tightened, against a firm abutment.

This work holder, or support, comprises a suitable frame or pedestal I having a table 2 at its top, a pair of jaws 3, l, mounted onthe table with portions overhanging one side of the pedestal and formed with recesses as 5 for receiving the corner posts P of the crate C, the table being also formed with a horizontally extending shoulder,'or claw, along an edge thereof for extending between the horizontal slats and hooking onto: the inner faces thereof for supporting the crate when the bottom slats are being renailed. One of the jaws is adjustable toward and from the other to conform to the diiierent spacings of the slats of the side walls of the crate.

The pedestal l, as here shown, comprises two 5 uprights mounted on a suitable base i, and the table 2 comprises a plate mounted between the uprights of the pedestal, as on angle irons t secured to said uprights, the plate overhanging the pedestal along one edge, as at 9, and formed with upwardly horizontally extending shoulders or claws it for entering between the lowermost slat of one of the shorter side walls of the crate, and hooking around on the inner side of the same to firmly hold the crate when the nails are being 5 driven through the ends of the bottom slats S, either endwise into the corner posts P, or edgewise into the lowermost slat S of the shorter side, or end wall, of the crate. The crate is in the position shown at the left side of Figure 2 when supported by the claws til, and when in this position, the crate abuts against the pedestal below the claws Hi.

The jaws 3, d, are shown as plates arranged edgewise to the table plate 2, and as having por- 25 tions it overhanging the pedestal. The recesses 5 are formed V shaped for receiving the triangular post S, as shown in Figure 2, and these recesses are formed in the upper edge of the overhanging portion it. One of these jaws, as 3, is 30 fixed and secured to an upward extension l2 of one of the uprightsof the pedestal i. The other jaw i is here shown as pivoted to the table plate 2 on an upright axis, and is shiftable, or swingable, on its pivot to carry its: overhanging end toward or from the jaw 3. The purpose of this adjustment is that the jaws may be adjusted to the .various spacings of the slats ot the side walls of the crate between which siats. the jaws must extend, when the crate is in the position 0 shown at the right side of Figure 2.

It will be understood that these crates are of uniform size, and that the side walls are a given number of slats high, some may be, for instance, five slats high, some six etc., but due to the fact that the slats themselves vary in width, the location of the spaces between the slats, in different crates, varies and hence, in order to make the work holder conform to crates with these variations, the jaw t is adjustable relatively to the jaw 3. As here shown, the jaw 4 is formed with a trunnion [3 extending through a suitable opening in the plate, the jaw being held in position by a nut on the lower end of the trunnion. The extension 12 is formed with an inclined edge at M to provide a clearance for the crate when it is being hung on the claws I0, it being understood that in hanging the crate on the claws ID, the crate is brought to the claw by being tilted upward out of the horizontal and with the bottom side up, while the claws are passing under the slats S, and then is tilted downwardly into the position shown in Figure 2.

The table is also provided with suitable trays, as 15 and It, for holding nails, and usually nails of one size are in one tray, and of another size in another tray. These trays are conveniently mounted on a pedestal, and are interchangeable to suit the workman. As here shown, each tray is formed with brackets I! having openings for receiving studs IS on the upper ends of the uprights of the pedestal.

In operation, a crate to be repaired is placed on the work support, or pedestal, by being hooked onto the claws H], as shown at the left in Figure 2. When in this position, the nails can be driven through the ends of the bottom slats edgewise into the adjacent slat of the end wall. The claws, and the contiguous portion of the table plate 2, form a firm abutment against which to drive the nails, thus avoiding breaking and splitting of the slats. To tighten, or repair, the horizontal slats of the side and end walls, the crate is placed on the jaws 3, 4, or in the position shown at the right of Figure 2, in which the jaws 3, 4, extend between the slats of one of the side or end walls permitting the corner posts to lie in the recesses 5 of the jaws. When in this position, the slats S can be nailed at their ends to the corner posts against the jaws which form firm abutments.

It is obvious that by reason of this work holder, the crates can be readily repaired by the truck farmer with minimum time and effort.

What I claim is:

A support for crates while being repaired, which crates include upright corner posts and slat side and bottom walls, said support comprising a pedestal formed with a table, a pair of jaws on the table, and overhanging the pedestal, for entering between slats of the crate, the overhanging portions having recesses for receiving the corner posts of the crate, whereby the crate, when on the jaws, overhangs the pedestal and abuts against the same, said jaws comprising plates mounted edgewise on the table, one of said jaws being pivotally mounted on the table on an upright axis and shiftable about its axis to carry the overhanging portion toward and from the other jaw to conform to different spacings of the slats of the crate.

EARLE C. BROWN. 

